becomes obvious. There is much to command to our heart the persuasion that those who “ sat” upon the thrones are believers of the age of grace. Incidentally, should this interpretation be the true one, it serves strongly to fortify the pretribulation rapture. Those who are “ beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the Word of God” are in fact martyrs for the faith. To identify these is comparatively simple, since an earlier reference is made to them in this book (Rev. 6:9). These believers are those who will be martyred during the tribulation period, a dealing of God with men which follows chronologically the present dispensation. The breaking of the fifth seal marks the specific time of their execution. No one should be disturbed by the use of the term “ soul” in reference to these resurrected saints. Real persons are often referred to as “souls” in the Word of God. Give attention, for example, to the “ three thousand souls” at Pentecost (Acts 2:41), Jacob and his kindred as “ threescore and ten souls” (Gen. 45:25-27), Paul and his fellow-travelers are reckoned as “ two hundred threescore and sixteen souls” (Acts 27:37), and finally, those who came out of the flood with Noah were “ eight souls” (1 Peter 3:30). Of course, the verb “ lived” would be some what of an anomaly if persons were not truly in view here (Rev. 13:15-17). This group concerns those who will have suffered death during the tribulation, just as the second group mentioned above does. It may be profitable at this point to mention the fact that it is likely that the two tribulation groups are made up chiefly of the 144,000 (Rev. 7:1-8 ch. Matt. 24:4-14), and the multitude which no man can number (Rev. 7:19-24). Our study of Revelation 20:4 has revealed that church saints and tribulation period believers will be resurrected. This pertains to the first resurrection (Rev. 20:5). We turn now to examine those passages which concern the Old Testament believers. Earlier we pointed out that they are included in the non-technical phrase “ they that are Christ’s at His coming,” inasmuch as their ground of redemption is the cross of Christ. It hardly seems neces sary to observe that they will be raised before the thou sand years which separate the first and second resurrec tions, for the latter concerns the unredeemed only (Rev. 20:6; cf. w . 11-15). A literal interpretation of Daniel 12:2,3 and Isaiah 26:19 opposes any view which rejects the bodily resurrection of Old Testament believes. The wider contexts of both of these passages (Isa. 25-27 and Dan. 12:1), if carefully studied, will be seen to concern the tribulation period. Before leaving our subject, it is advisable to summarize what has been presented. The resurrection of the saints follows the orderly program of our sovereign Lord. As the firstfruits of resurrection, Christ has been raised; other sheaves will follow. The next major resurrection out from among the dead will be the believers of this dispensation of grace. At the end of the tribulation, and before the commencement of the millennium, both the tribulation martyrs and the Old Testament saints will be resurrected and presumaby in this order. The first resurrection is now complete; all that aré Christ’s have come out of their graves. These are indeed comforting words to the Lord’s own, yet they are warnings to those unrelated to Christ through His shed blood. All who do not share in the first resurrection have but an awful judgment awaiting them before the throne of Almighty God, to fall into whose hands is a fearful thing. May the Spirit of God be pleased to confirm each reader in the most holy faith, and awaken a thirst for a deeper knowledge of the article, “ I believe . . . the resurrection of the body.” end
The apostle Paul in writing to the Corinthian Church, profoundly expounded various deep truths about resur rection. It is interesting to notice that his teaching declares that every man will be raised in his own order (1 Cor. 15:20-24). There is a military colouring in the original word translated “ order” (v. 24), for it signifies a body of troops, a corps. That some sort of sequence is intended in the Spirit’s choice of this word can hardly be doubted. Furthermore, close attention to this text reveals three “ orders” or bodies of troops. 1. “ Christ, the firstfruits.” He is the Leader in the entire trooping. 2. “ They that are Christ’s at His coming.” The connective “ afterward” makes note of the next trooping after the resurrection of Christ (v. 23). 3. “Then cometh the end . . .” The burden of the passage is the resurrection from the dead. We may properly conclude that “ the end” is a reference to the final resurrection (Rev. 20:11-15). Although the phrase “ second resurrection” is not to be found in the New Testament, it is a biblical concept. Here it is designated “ the end,” thus emphasizing its finality with reference to the purpose of God and resurrection. There are two distinct lines of thought which must now be followed, namely, the determination of the meaning of the phrase, “ they that are Christ’s at His coming,” and the relation which these persons sustain to the first resurrection. Without being carried too far afield in our discussion of the phrase already tabled, it is important to observe that it is not to be confused with the theologically techni cal phrase of Paul “ in Christ.’’ Those words gather together in short compass the mind-surpassing position to which grace has lifted redeemed sinners; meanwhile, the present assertion marks out all those who are related to Christ through His plenary redemption executed on Golgotha. Since the cross is the ground of redemption for men in all dispensations, the believers of the Old Testa ment, the church age, and the tribulation period are included in the expression, “ they that are Christ’s at His coming.” In the next place, we have to observe the relation of these believers to the first resurrection. To reach our goal, the helpful classification discernible in Revelation 20:4 must be noted. A verbal trilogy provides the key to this passage of Scripture ( “ sat,” “ beheaded,” and “wor shipped” ), and also serves to designate three groups shar ing in the felicity of the first resurrection. To an exam ination of these groups we now turn. The identification of those who “ sat” upon thrones seems clear from the hermeneutical principle of analogy of Scripture. Consider the following items: 1. Paul notes that the saints of the dispensation of grace will have certain matters of judgment committed to them (1. Cor. 6 :2,3). This is precisely the activity of those described in the Revelation passage. 2. It is significantly revealed by John that those sitting upon thrones apparently had passed through the experience of death and resurrection. They are already enthroned. 3. If the twenty-four elders (Rev. 4 ,5 ) represent the church saints, as many able expositors believe, the identification of those enthroned
Dr. Saxe is Director of the Missions Department of the Philadelphia College of Bible. He was graduated from Wheaton College and Dallas Theological Seminary, receiving the doctor of theology degree from the latter institution. He has spent ten yeors in South America as a missionary. He and his wife ore returning to the field under Training Indigenous Mission aries, an organization designed to assist the nationol church.
NOVEMBER, 1959
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